


A Lucky Hand

by Redicefields



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Drabble, F/M, Fluff, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-25
Updated: 2015-01-25
Packaged: 2018-03-08 23:02:06
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 748
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3226745
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Redicefields/pseuds/Redicefields
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Emma and Killian have some downtime and decide to play a game of cribbage. Written for the CS Hiatus meme ("hands").</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Lucky Hand

“And a double run of three makes for a total of 18 points!” Emma grinned victoriously, moving her peg forward on the track. She bit her lower lip as she gloated across the diner table, slamming her palm on the surface in excitement.

“Do you swear you’re not cheating, love?” Killian folded his cards into the deck with a look of mock suspicion. “Because I do believe you are going to, how do you say it, ‘skunk’ me in this game.”  
Emma’s smirk was unmoved at the accusation, “chalk it up to a series of lucky hands, Captain. With helpful touches of strategy and intuition. Now, your turn to deal, and don’t be a baby about it.”

“Aye, as you wish, my dear.” As Killian skillfully shuffled the deck with one hand, Emma took a moment to revel in the simplicity of the moment. Playing cribbage in the middle of the day at Granny’s, laughing, drinking cocoa, flirting. Emma knew it wouldn’t be this peaceful for long, but funnily, she seemed at peace with that. Voices bubbled and murmured around them in the diner- no screams of fear, no public panic, no Leroy running through the doors announcing the next big crisis (knock on wood, Emma quickly thought to herself). In contrast, a lazy game of cards seemed like the utmost luxury- comparable to a two week vacation in the Maldives with endless fruit cocktails and daily massages.

Ruby paused a moment at their table, flashing them both a grin that seemed both genuine and winking, “You both doing okay over here?”

“Alas, I’m afraid Emma is faring far better than meself,” Killian grumbled as he swiftly dealt the next hand out. “But the hot chocolate is giving me comfort,” he raised his mug to toast Ruby, and then took an exaggerated swig while catching Emma’s eye.

“Let me just put him out of his misery, Ruby, and we’ll be out of your hair.” Emma responded.

“Oh, no rush!” Ruby insisted, “It’s nice, you know. All of this.” Emma didn’t need to ask her to elaborate. She knew exactly the feeling Ruby wordlessly described.

The pegging round of cribbage went quickly- Emma collected another 8 points, Killian 2. Killian had a surprisingly decent hand (run of three and a pair). But, he failed to catch Nobs, as Emma swiftly and gleefully pointed out in her turn. “You missed it!” Emma exclaimed, “So *I* get the points.”

“Bad form, Swan!” Killian protested, his brows creased “It’s in my hand!”

“It’s not ‘bad form’” Emma sighed heavily, “It’s in the rules! You snooze you lose. You leave it out there, I get to steal it! You of all people,” Emma leaned in over the table to look him closely in the eyes, “should understand that. Am I wrong, pirate?”

Killian’s lips pursed together in a childish pout. “I suppose you make a point, love.”

“Besides,” Emma snickered, tossing down her cards, “12 point hand. Means I win.” Once again, biting her bottom lip, she moved her peg to the final point in the track. Killian’s remained just two place below the 90-point line. “And you, I’m afraid, are…”

“Skunked. Again. Yes, I see, Swan.” Killian tossed his cards in a pile on the table in exasperation. “Well, I concede that you certainly have the upper hand in this clever card game, Swan.” He stood up quickly and crossed to her side of the table. He offered her his right hand and bent low to her ear, “Now may I suggest another activity where I dare suggest that *I* have the upper hand.”

Emma couldn’t help but let out a girlish giggle, as she accepted his outstretched hand. She whispered back, “I wouldn’t say *you* have the upper hand. You’ve only got one, you know.”

“Aye, but as you well know, one hand is all I need for what I’ve in mind.” His whisper was suddenly heavy and velvety in suggestion. Emma’s face flushed deeply as she quickly got to her feet. Arms around one another, the pair left the dining area with a noticeable anticipation in their steps toward the back of the B&B.

Ruby came by and swept their area clean, including the abandoned board and cards. She couldn’t help but smirk knowingly to herself as she once again added the bill to their unpaid tab, which had been growing in number and frequency since the two of them had started “mysteriously” disappearing before their meals were finished.


End file.
